Oh bother...

[Elfe5]

Went out for my weekend daylight run. 3 1/2 km in, I found myself thinking

"Is that a twinge or a problem in my calf?" Another hundred yards and decided it's possibly a problem, so did the sensible thing and stopped - then immediately realised OUCH & stretched calves on a convenient step, ( despite dog walkers potentially thinking I was mad).

Limped sadly home. 😔

I don't know why this has happened, I have been running now for 10 weeks without injury problems, and did nothing different today - I was just doing my usual gentle snail thing & had warmed up well, have had rest days as usual.

Time to rest & take the laundry off the ancient - exceedingly - basic exercise bike methinks - very disappointed. 😔😔

Any good advice for recovery welcome.

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Hi Elfe5, sorry to hear you have tweaked something. I see you have been running 5k the last two runs, both runs were over 40 mins, so maybe you have overstretched yourself a bit.

Rest from running for a while, elevate the leg and place some ice (frozen peas wrapped in a towel) on it for short periods. Hopefully it will settle back down.

Heel drops and toe lifts are good for stretching calves ( do when muscles are warm ) Stand on the bottom stair facing up. Feet half on with heels sticking out. Go up on your toes, hold and back to level. Repeat a few times. Then gently drop your heels a bit, hold then back to level. Repeat a few times.

Hope you get better soon.😊x

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thanks for that - leg up on frozen peas as I text!!

I'm sore & limping even walking slowly so reaching for the ibuprofen too.

Calf stretches will be the order of the day. 😏

[Hidden]

Oh, bum, so sorry to hear this. Hope its better soon x

[Anthie Graduate]

Oh no! So sorry to hear you're in pain. I hope meds and rest plus stretch will do the trick so that you can go snail gambolling soon again. Rest well and take care of those calves: perhaps think about hydration as well. I don't know you but, when it gets really cold, I tend to drink a bit less and forget that my body still needs quite a lot of water to avoid any tense muscle if I exercise. And do not stretch if too much pain: massage first to relax.

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Anthie]

Thank you, I'll have to be the hobbling snail for a little while- doing all the right things to help recovery & looking forward gambolling again when I'm mended. 😏

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Oh oh... I have just replied to another post about calf injury!!! I replied to MikeJones68

I hope it is not catching! Maybe as Bluebirdrunner suggests.. just one step too far

Check out the reply and if in doubt.. wait!

[Ianson Graduate]

Sorry, Elfe5. Hope you're on the mend soon.

[Sadie-runs Graduate]

Oh Elfe, so sorry to hear this. But you know, it happens to the best of us - and sometimes we just cannot figure why. You've had some great advice already - ice, rest etc. I want to add, do not lose heart or feel sad. You will recover from this, and you will run again.

I pulled something in the back of my thigh last week and on top of that, I have had a weird virus that has made me feel very sick. Haven't run since Sunday last week. Lesson I have learned is to be kind to myself, rest, and to not despair!

Hope you are up and running again soon my dear. x

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Sadie-runs]

Thank you so much for your kind encouragement. I hope you are recovering too - looking forward to both of us being back in running shoes! Really it's quite comical my missing it so much when 11 weeks ago it wasn't on my radar at all! - How things can change in a short time! 😄

[MikeJones68 Graduate]

Ouch indeed. I’ve done the same thing today and now have one tender calf. I can point my toes forward but can’t move my foot in the other direction, i.e. stretching the muscle. Hoping it settles down in a day or so otherwise that’s graduation week scuppered

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to MikeJones68]

Oh sympathy Mike - I've been hobbling around making Sunday lunch for the family this morning and wondering how your hobbling is going. A member of the family (a doctor) advised me to rest my leg on a hot water bottle overnight and that seems to have helped a bit. I am doing hot water bottle then stretching at intervals. Hope you recover soon. 😃

[MikeJones68 Graduate in reply to Elfe5]

Thank you. Trying to keep mine moving. I’ve stood at the local rugby pitch watching the kids play this morning, trying to keep gently stretching the leg. It’s definitely easier than yesterday, but I can’t see me running this week ☹️

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to MikeJones68]

Yes, I am anticipating a week off running, but plan to do some gentle walking or cycling ( in addition to stretches) for short periods of time to try and maintain a bit of fitness. Your graduation and my Park Run will just have to politely wait for a little while!

[MikeJones68 Graduate in reply to Elfe5]

Indeed they will. Wishing you a speedy recovery 😊